Latest news and features from Abilene Christian University

ACU Today’s new Fall-Winter 2020 issue is anchored by a sprawling 24-page cover story diving into “An Emerging National University,” and it begins hitting mailboxes this weekend. Dr. Cheryl Mann Bacon (’76) authors the lead story, which looks behind the scenes at the university’s intentionally strategic growth in recent years and how it dovetails with the unprecedented recognition ACU received in the […]

Abilene Christian University is the highest-ranking university in Texas in a new U.S. News and World Report benchmark focused on student success. The university also achieved its highest overall regional ranking ever – 12th – in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 “America’s Best Colleges,” an improvement of nine places over 2019. U.S. News highlighted […]

It seemed like destiny when Dr. Tony Rector noticed a change of address from where he had been sending checks to support a medical missionary he knew. The checks had been sent to Christian Health Service Corps at an address in Boerne, near San Antonio. Now, the address said “Fruitvale, Texas,” located in East Texas just […]

University Scholars from Abilene Christian University’s May and December 2020 graduating class were honored in departmental festivities. Fifty scholars are selected annually by the Faculty Senate based on nominations from the academic departments. Each department is invited to designate one scholar and nominate others for at-large consideration. Eligibility for the honor requires a 3.5 or […]

As the COVID-19 global health crisis continues, ACU is able to assist students in need thanks to critical resources that have been in place for years: the Student Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources (SOAR) program in the Office of Student Life and its Katie Kirby Student Success Fund. Since Fall 2015, SOAR staff members have worked […]

Six short films, representing months of work by more than 50 ACU students, were destined for a Paramount Theatre screening at the ACU FilmFest gala in early April. But when classes moved online in response to the coronavirus pandemic, so did FilmFest. On April 23, the gala, which typically draws a full house at the […]

Tom Bailey’s (’71) career as a professional mechanical engineer didn’t end when he retired in 2013 from Weatherford International, a Houston-based oilfield service company. But it did change directions. In Houston, Bailey was director of a large engineering department. Today, he is a senior mechanical engineer in ACU’s NEXT Lab, working with faculty and mentoring […]

The timing couldn’t be much worse for Anastacia Badillo (’20) and Isaiah Berry (’19,). Then again, it’s never a bad time to be named a Fulbright Scholar. That’s the situation Anastacia and Isaiah find themselves in after being named Fulbright winners in the midst of a pandemic. Anastacia, a 2020 ACU graduate who is living […]

Abilene Christian University’s forensics and debate team earned several national rankings from the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) after competing in nine tournaments during the 2019-20 school year. ACU competed against teams from The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, University of Oklahoma, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech University, Stephen […]

Bobby Joe Morrow, whose exploits in track and field as a student at Abilene Christian University made history and put his alma mater on the world map, died May 30, 2020, at age 84 at his home in San Benito, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at Buck […]

Those who gathered to honor Wes Kittley (’81) and Joel Wells, M.D. (’06), at the 2020 Alumni Day Luncheon on Feb. 23, 2020, made it clear the two men are known for putting others first. The 2020 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year and Young Alumnus of the Year, respectively, were celebrated not only for their […]